Monday, April 11, 2011

Clemente asks: What is it all for?

Like pretty much everyone else, I've always loved this card of Roberto Clemente.

Were his juggling skills really so great that they deserved to be immortalized on cardboard? Did the photographer consciously set out to make one of the most iconic cards of one of the most iconic players of all-time? The expression is timeless. Roberto, lost deep in thought, tossing a baseball.

I've been there for the past week. One of my favorite Bulls, Elliot Johnson, made the big club out of the gate. The Rays looked to have a solid if unflashy roster set for the title defense. Things were good.

But then the optimism and anticipation of the new season quickly gave way to despair for Rays fans. After today we're 1-8. From there things just look worse and worse. Longo is on the DL. No one expected Manny to set the world on fire, but he just decided "to be Manny" and retire rather than face a lifetime ban for using banned substances. Several players are pushing, not performing to the level they are capable. Maddon got himself ejected today, which will hopefully get everyone to loosen up. There are plenty of games left. 153 to be exact.

Meanwhile in Boston...CC is also not performing to expectations. For a game they even moved him to near the bottom of the order. Ugh.

At least Gomes is murdering the ball in Cincy.

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

3 comments:

Gomes's season is crazy so far - 5 hits for an ugly .227 batting average, but 1 double and 2 home runs. He's also walked a league leading 12 times - almost 1/3 of his walk total for last season - and that's just in 8 games for a .486 OBP.

Reds fans are hoping this is a new selective Gomes, but I read an interview where he eschews them as annoying. Go figure.